J. Michael Straczynski

DC Comics Announces WATCHMEN Prequel Comics

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 1st, 2012 at 10:18 am

In situations likes these it’s best to sigh and then shrug.  DC Comics has officially announced that they’ll be launching Before Watchmen, prequel comics based on Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ Watchmen.  While there have been murmurings of Watchmen prequel and sequel comics for years, the prequels will really happen now with writers and everything.  DC Comics asked Alan Moore for his blessing, but he (unsurprisingly) refused. He then returned to the woods to forage for nuts and berries.  However, Gibbons released a statement saying,

“The original series of Watchmen is the complete story that Alan Moore and I wanted to tell. However, I appreciate DC’s reasons for this initiative and the wish of the artists and writers involved to pay tribute to our work. May these new additions have the success they desire,”

Hit the jump for more, including a first look at the covers for the prequels.

DreamWorks Acquires J. Michael Straczynski’s Harry Houdini and Arthur Conan Doyle Script VOICES FROM THE DEAD

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 9th, 2011 at 2:30 pm

Voices from the Dead has an exciting premise.  The script is based on the real-life friendship between escape artist Harry Houdini and author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and it sets the early 20th century icons as detectives who team up with a psychic to solve mysteries in 1920s New York.  That sounds like it could be an entertaining movie.  Unfortunately, that script is by Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski.  Straczynski’s other glowing credits include the Clint Eastwood dud Changeling and a cringe-worthy Spider-Man comic-book arc where we discovered that Norman Osborne had schtupped Gwen Stacy and made fast-aging babies with her.  The dude is not my favorite writer.

Heat Vision reports that DreamWorks has picked up the script.  Maybe Straczynski has finally written an engaging piece of work instead of writing himself into a corner.  I hope that’s the case because Houdini and Doyle running around and solving mysteries sounds like a fun flick.

Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein to Helm UNDERWORLD 4

by Jason Barr    Posted: November 12th, 2010 at 11:09 pm

Underworld 4 has found its director(s).  Heat Vision reports that the Swedish team-up of Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein will take on directorial duties for the film.  Underworld 4 will mark the second English-language feature for the pair who also co-directed the 2009 UK thriller Shelter starring Julianne Moore and Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Showtime’s The Tudors).  Marlind and Stein will helm the project for Screen Gems and Lakeshore Entertainment from a script by John Hlavin.  Multi-platform scribe J. Michael Straczynski (Changeling & one of my personal favorite comics, Rising Stars) performed rewrite duties for the film.

With the news of Marlind and Stein’s hiring in the bag, the fourth installment of the Underworld franchise continues to take shape.  Almost two months ago, we confirmed that Kate Beckinsale would return to her rightful place as the unequivocally bad-ass vampire warrior, Selene.   At that time we also reported that the film would begin production in Vancouver during March 2011, with a January 20th, 2012 release in mind.

Kate Beckinsale Confirmed to Reprise Her Role in UNDERWORLD 4; Production Starts March 2011

by Ramses Flores    Posted: September 23rd, 2010 at 5:44 pm

We have a few important updates regarding the next installment in the Underworld franchise.  All that we’ve known so far about the upcoming fourth film in the series is that John Hlavin (The Shield) was writing the film, that it would be released on January 20, 2012, and that Kate Beckinsale wasn’t sure if she would return to reprise her role in the series.

Now, we’ve just gotten a press release that confirms that Beckinsale will indeed be returning to the franchise that made her an action star.  The press release also tells us that screenwriter J. Michael Straczynsk (The Changeling) has come on board to do some revisions to Hlavin’s script and they’re looking to cast someone as Beckinsale’s daughter.  There is still no director attached to the project but Len Wiseman, who directed the first two Underworld films, will be producing the film.  Hit the jump for what we were sent:

Paramount Renews Option on WORLD WAR Z

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: April 23rd, 2010 at 10:50 am

Paramount Pictures has re-upped on their option to adapt Max Brooks’ post-apocalyptic zombie novel World War Z.  I have friends who are fans of the books and they’re wondering about when the film adaptation is coming along.  Director Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace) is unfortunately still attached to helm the flick.  However, the flick has made an improvement in the screenwriter department by replacing J. Michael Straczynski (Changeling) with Matthew Michael Carnahan (State of Play).

Brooks’ book is about a researcher for the U.N. Postwar Commission who interviews survivors from all over the world in order to put together a post-mortem on a war that destroyed every country around the globe.  [Variety]

Screenwriters J. Michael Straczynski and Matthew Sand on BROTHERS IN ARMS, FORBIDDEN PLANET, SHATTERED UNION, RED STAR, SILVER SURFER, WWZ, and LENSMEN

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: November 22nd, 2009 at 9:27 pm

At this weekend’s press junket for Ninja Assassin, I participated in a roundtable interview with screenwriters J. Michael Straczynski  and Matthew Sand.  While some screenwriters are lucky to have one project in developement, these two have tons.  In fact, the list of projects they’re working on or have been on is rather impressive.  Here’s some of them: Brothers in Arms, Red Star, Forbidden Planet, Lensmen, Silver Surfer, WWZ, and Shattered Union.

While we didn’t get to spend a lot of time on any one project, what we did get was updates on all of them.  So if you’re curious what’s up with any of these movies, hit the jump to read what they had to say.

Wachowski Brothers Update

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: November 21st, 2009 at 2:27 pm

As most of you know, I am a huge Wachowski Brothers (The Matrix, Bound, Speed Racer) fan.  Whenever I do an interview with anyone who knows the brothers, I always try to find out what they’re up to as they don’t do any press.  If you follow the brothers, you know they produced Ninja Assassin and the film arrives next week.  But beyond Assassin, they have nothing scheduled to be released and there are no rumors about what they might be working on.

But at today’s press junket for Ninja Assassin, I finally got someone to tell me the brothers are at least working! While I didn’t find out what the projects are (believe me I tried), this is the first time anyone has said anything regarding their future projects.  Believe me, I look for news on the Brothers constantly.

According to screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski, “they have a number of things in development.  Some of them are large projects and some of them are smaller projects.  I can’t imagine Larry and Andy never working ever again.  The brothers are always developing something.” While I know this is almost a non-story, if you’re a fan of the Wachowskis, I figured the news was worth sharing.  If anyone knows what they are working on, please email me!

6 Movie Clips from Director James McTeigue’s NINJA ASSASSIN Starring Rain

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: November 11th, 2009 at 12:26 am

Opening on November 25^th is director James McTeigue’s Ninja Assassin.  The film stars Asian superstar Rain in the title role and as you can easily put together from the title, it’s about Ninja’s.  And assassin’s.  Also, the film is loaded with action and blood so if you’re into either of those things, this is pretty much a must see movie.  Finally, it’s produced by the Wachowski Brothers and Joel Silver (The Matrix Trilogy, V for Vendetta), and they’ve done a few things you might have liked….

Anyway, if you’d like a taste of the movie, after the jump you can watch six clips.  In the coming weeks check back for interviews with the cast and filmmakers.  Until then….

Jerry Bruckheimer wants a SHATTERED UNION

by David Corbin    Posted: October 27th, 2009 at 8:19 am

It’s been a few months since we’ve broken a Jerry Bruckheimer producing story. No need to worry, he’s back and this time he’s setting his sites on a civil war epic. Bruckheimer has acquired the rights to “Shattered Union,” a video game published by 2K Games, a division of Take-Two Interactive, which is also try to get “Bioshock” made at Universal. In the game, Washington D.C. is destroyed by a nuclear blast and, predictably, things get a little “Mad Max.” What, you were expecting “Gettysburg 3?” Hit the jump for more details.

Director James McTeigue’s Ninja Assassin Trailer IN LEGO!

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: August 16th, 2009 at 7:24 pm

Everything is 100% more awesome when you do it with Lego. So if you’re like me and believe that statement, you’re going to need to see the video after the jump. That’s because Keshen8 on YouTube has posted his version of the “Ninja Assassin” trailer…except his version is made with Lego! It’s kind of great so take a look:

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